Netherlands

At a glance

Who it suitsStudents holding A-Levels or the IB who want a European degree at well under British fees, and who can start a year early if their qualification falls short.适合持 A-Level 或 IB、想以远低于英国的学费读欧洲本科的学生；如果资格不够，也愿意先读一年预科。

Tuition, non-EU

Between €9,000 and €20,000 for most bachelor's; the statutory €2,694 EU rate does not apply to you多数本科在 9,000 至 20,000 欧元之间；2,694 欧元的欧盟法定学费不适用于你 [1]

Main deadline

1 May at 23:59; 15 January for a numerus fixus programme5 月 1 日 23:59；限额（numerus fixus）专业为 1 月 15 日 [8]

Residence permit

€254, and your university applies for it on your behalf254 欧元，由大学代你申请 [6]

Money you must show

€1,130.77 a month through 20262026 年内每月 1,130.77 欧元 [9]

Work during study

16 hours a week, or full-time in June, July and August — you must choose one每周 16 小时，或六、七、八月全职——两者只能选其一 [6]

Stay and work after

Orientation year: 1 year, €254, and you may work without your employer needing a permit求职年：1 年，254 欧元，工作无需雇主办理工作许可 [7]

Which qualification leads where

• A-LevelGood route

  The usual route in. Each programme publishes its own subjects and grades, so read the programme page rather than a university-wide rule.最常见的入学途径。各专业自定科目和成绩要求，要看专业页面而不是学校的统一规定。

• IB DiplomaGood route

  Accepted at research universities; again the requirement is set per programme.研究型大学接受；同样按专业设定要求。

• AP and a US high-school diplomaPossible

  Nuffic compares a US high-school diploma to HAVO — one level below the VWO that Dutch research universities admit on. That is why universities ask AP applicants for APs plus SAT or ACT, or a year of university.Nuffic 将美高文凭对标 HAVO——比荷兰研究型大学录取所依据的 VWO 低一级。正因如此，大学会要求 AP 申请者补交 SAT 或 ACT，或先读一年大学。 [10]

• GaokaoHard

  Nuffic compares the Chinese senior secondary diploma to HAVO, not VWO, and does not assess the Gaokao by name. Expect a foundation year or a year of Chinese university first.Nuffic 将中国普通高中毕业证书对标 HAVO 而非 VWO，且未对高考单独评估。通常需要先读预科或一年国内大学。 [11]

• Chinese high-school diploma onlyHard

  One level short of Dutch university entry on Nuffic's own comparison. This is the single most important thing to check before you plan on the Netherlands.按 Nuffic 的对标，比荷兰大学入学资格低一级。这是把荷兰列入计划前最该先确认的一点。 [11]

Universities to look at

• University of Amsterdam (UvA) Amsterdam

  Accepts Publishes a separate institutional rate per faculty — the spread across faculties is wider than the spread between universities.按学院公布不同的院校学费——学院之间的差距比学校之间还大。

  Tuition a year €13,900 for economics and business, €17,500 for humanities and law, €21,800 for science, €24,150 for computer science (2026-2027, non-EEA)经济与商科 13,900 欧元，人文与法律 17,500 欧元，理科 21,800 欧元，计算机 24,150 欧元（2026-2027，非欧洲经济区）

  Admissions page → [2]

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Check you are eligible at all

• Check your diploma's level first: Nuffic compares a Chinese senior secondary diploma to HAVO, one level below the VWO Dutch universities admit on.先查清你的文凭等级：Nuffic 将中国普通高中毕业证书对标 HAVO，比荷兰大学录取依据的 VWO 低一级。 [11]
• If you fall short, plan for a foundation year or a year of Chinese university before you apply.如果资格不够，就在申请前规划一年预科或一年国内大学。 [11]
• Check the programme is actually taught in English: only 29% of bachelor's at research universities are.确认这个专业确实是英语授课：研究型大学的本科专业中只有 29% 是。 [4]

Apply

• Register through Studielink, the national portal, and then follow the institution's own steps.通过全国统一门户 Studielink 注册，然后按学校自己的流程办理。 [5]
• A capped (numerus fixus) programme closes at 23:59 on 15 January, and you may apply to at most two of them in a year.限额（numerus fixus）专业于 1 月 15 日 23:59 截止，且一年最多申请两个。 [8]
• Everything else closes at 23:59 on 1 May — but check the institution, which may set an earlier date.其他专业于 5 月 1 日 23:59 截止——但要查学校规定，可能更早。 [8]
• Apply for the NL Scholarship: €5,000 in the first year, for non-EEA students. Deadlines are set by each institution.申请 NL 奖学金：非欧洲经济区学生第一年 5,000 欧元。截止日期由各校自定。 [12]

Permit and money

• Hold €1,130.77 a month of living money for the 2026 permit year.按 2026 年标准，每月须有 1,130.77 欧元生活费。 [9]
• Your university applies for the residence permit for you; the fee is €254.居留许可由大学代你申请，费用 254 欧元。 [6]
• Decide your work pattern before you take a job: 16 hours a week OR full-time in June to August, not both.找工作前先定好模式：每周 16 小时，或六至八月全职，二者不可兼得。 [6]

Before you fly

• Start looking for a room the day you are admitted: a room costs €450 to €1,000 a month and Dutch student housing is genuinely scarce.拿到录取当天就开始找房：房租每月 450 至 1,000 欧元，而荷兰学生住房确实紧张。 [3]
• Budget for a bicycle — it is the normal way to get to class in most Dutch cities.预留买自行车的钱——在荷兰多数城市，这是上课的常规交通方式。

May 2026 Sep 2027

1. May 2026 16 months before passed

   Check your diploma's level against Nuffic's comparison before anything else.先用 Nuffic 的对标查清你文凭的等级，再做其他准备。 [11]

2. Aug 2026 13 months before passed

   Shortlist English-taught programmes and read each one's entry requirement.筛选英语授课专业，逐个阅读入学要求。

3. Jan 2027 8 months before

   Capped (numerus fixus) programmes close at 23:59 on 15 January.限额专业于 1 月 15 日 23:59 截止。 [8]

4. May 2027 4 months before

   All other programmes close at 23:59 on 1 May.其他专业于 5 月 1 日 23:59 截止。 [8]

5. Jun 2027 3 months before

   Accept your place; the university starts the residence permit application for you.确认入学；大学开始为你申请居留许可。 [6]

6. Jun 2027 3 months before

   Put the required living money in place and hunt hard for a room.备好资金证明，并全力找房。 [9]

7. Sep 2027 At the start

   Arrive, register with the municipality and open a Dutch bank account.抵达、在市政厅登记并开设荷兰银行账户。

A year

¥160,000 – ¥320,000

Whole degree

¥480,000 – ¥970,000 over 3 years

Converted to RMB at two significant figures — the rate moves and the ranges are wide. Rate: European Central Bank: euro foreign exchange reference rates, 18 September 2026, checked 2026-09-19.

Tuition, non-EU

€9,000 to €20,000 for most bachelor's nationally; €13,900 to €24,150 across UvA's faculties全国多数本科为 9,000 至 20,000 欧元；阿姆斯特丹大学各学院为 13,900 至 24,150 欧元 [1]

Living costs

€1,000 to €1,500 a month: rent €561, groceries €244, transport €67, leisure €239每月 1,000 至 1,500 欧元：房租 561 欧元、食品 244 欧元、交通 67 欧元、休闲 239 欧元 [3]

A room

€450 to €1,000 a month, and hard to find每月 450 至 1,000 欧元，且不易找到 [3]

Money to show for the permit

€1,130.77 a month through 2026 — a permit test, not a budget2026 年内每月 1,130.77 欧元——这是居留门槛，不是生活预算 [9]

Residence permit

€254, and the same again for the orientation year afterwards254 欧元；之后的求职年再缴同样金额 [6]

Scholarships and funding

• NL Scholarship [12]

  €5,000, paid in the first year of study only.5,000 欧元，仅在第一学年发放。

  Non-EEA nationals applying for a full-time bachelor's at a participating institution. Each institution sets its own deadline, so check the one you are applying to.申请参与院校全日制本科的非欧洲经济区学生。各校自定截止日期，需向目标院校确认。

• What the low fee really is [1]

  The €2,694 statutory fee you will see quoted is the EU rate. As a Chinese student you pay the institutional rate, which at UvA runs from €13,900 to €24,150. The Netherlands is cheaper than Britain, not cheap.常被引用的 2,694 欧元法定学费是欧盟学生的标准。作为中国学生，你付的是院校学费，在阿姆斯特丹大学为 13,900 至 24,150 欧元。荷兰比英国便宜，但并不便宜。

Visa

• Your educational institution submits the residence-permit application for you; it costs €254.居留许可由你的院校代为提交申请，费用 254 欧元。 [6]
• The permit is issued for up to 5 years and runs 3 months longer than your programme.居留许可最长发放 5 年，且比学制多 3 个月。 [6]
• You must show €1,130.77 a month of means for the 2026 permit year; the amount changes each January.2026 年须证明每月 1,130.77 欧元的资金；该金额每年 1 月调整。 [9]

Work during and after studies

• You choose one pattern: up to 16 hours a week, or full-time in June, July and August.两种模式选其一：每周最多 16 小时，或六、七、八月全职。 [6]
• Your employer needs a work permit (TWV) for you, which is their job rather than yours.雇主需要为你办理工作许可（TWV），这是雇主的责任，不是你的。 [6]
• After graduating, the orientation year gives you 1 year in which you may work freely and your employer needs no permit. It costs €254 and you may apply within 3 years of the award.毕业后，求职年给予 1 年可自由工作的时间，雇主无需办理许可。费用 254 欧元，可在获得学位后 3 年内申请。 [7]

When you arrive

• Register with your municipality soon after you arrive; almost everything else depends on it.抵达后尽快到市政厅登记；几乎所有其他事情都以此为前提。
• Open a Dutch bank account — many everyday payments will not take a foreign card.开设荷兰银行账户——很多日常支付不接受外国银行卡。
• Buy a second-hand bicycle in the first week.第一周就买一辆二手自行车。

Common mistakes

• The €2,694 figure everyone quotes is the EU statutory fee. You will pay the institutional rate, which is several times that.人人引用的 2,694 欧元是欧盟法定学费。你要付的是院校学费，是它的好几倍。 [1]
• "Everything is taught in English" is not true at bachelor's level: 29% of research-university bachelor's are in English, against 76% of master's.“什么都用英语授课”在本科阶段并不成立：研究型大学的本科只有 29% 用英语，而硕士为 76%。 [4]
• A capped programme's 15 January deadline is four and a half months before everything else, and you may enter at most two such programmes a year.限额专业 1 月 15 日的截止日期比其他专业早四个半月，且一年最多申请两个。 [8]
• Student housing is genuinely short. Start looking the day you are admitted, not in August.学生住房确实紧张。拿到录取那天就开始找房，不要拖到八月。 [3]

Sources

1. Study in NL: tuition fees checked 2026-09-19
2. University of Amsterdam: tuition fees 2026-2027 checked 2026-09-19
3. Study in NL: daily student expenses and cost of living checked 2026-09-19
4. Nuffic: international students in Dutch higher education, factsheet checked 2026-09-19
5. Study in NL: how to apply checked 2026-09-19
6. Dutch IND: student residence permit checked 2026-09-19
7. Dutch IND: residence permit for the orientation year checked 2026-09-19
8. Studielink: application deadlines checked 2026-09-19
9. Dutch IND: required amounts checked 2026-09-19
10. Nuffic: the level of US diplomas in the Dutch system checked 2026-09-19
11. Nuffic: the level of Chinese diplomas in the Dutch system checked 2026-09-19
12. Study in NL: the NL Scholarship checked 2026-09-19

Rules and fees change. Everything here was checked against the official pages on the date shown. Confirm on those pages before you apply or pay.